


Stressed

by Tiara_of_Sapphires



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: F/F, First Dates, Fluff, no beta we die like Glenn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-01
Updated: 2020-11-01
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:34:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27334261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tiara_of_Sapphires/pseuds/Tiara_of_Sapphires
Summary: Dorothea offers to take Ingrid to dinner after the liberation of Fhirdiad. While Mercedes and Annette help her get physically ready, Ingrid is having a not-so-fun time getting mentally ready for it.
Relationships: Dorothea Arnault/Ingrid Brandl Galatea
Kudos: 23





	Stressed

**Author's Note:**

> So uhhh, the canon Doroingrid supports are garbage so I’m going to make a secret A-support and ret-con parts of C and B support. Why the hell not.  
> Enjoy!

“What if she doesn’t like it?” Ingrid mumbled as she fidgeted in front of a mirror.

The liberation of Fhirdiad brought some much-needed downtime before the inevitable siege of Enbarr would begin. They almost _died_. Ingrid was almost turned into a pincushion by the archers posted where Cornelia watched over the battle, and she was more scared at the prospect of Dorothea thinking she wasn’t pretty enough or didn’t care enough about the occasion.

Goddess help her, she had been so sure that she was above this type of thing, worrying about what a potential partner would think of her. Everyone who attempted to court her was either set up by her father or looking at her Crest.

She was uninterested romantically in just about everyone, except for one. And that one person wanted to have dinner with her? Alone?

While it was ‘dressing up for the occasion’ as Dorothea and Ingrid had spoken of years ago, it also felt very purposeful that it wasn’t just for dinner for the dinner’s sake.

That strange agony brought her to where she was, flitting in front of a mirror while Mercedes and Annette prepared...something on the bed.

The Blue Lions had taken up residence in the newly-liberated royal palace, each getting a suite of their own. Despite the victory, their days were still filled with war meetings and plans for their next steps. The question of the Alliance and their position in the war was of great debate, as was the inevitable march to Enbarr.

Ingrid winced as she twisted at the waist to look at how the blue-green gown draped and flowed down her back. Her wounds had mostly healed, the ones that hadn’t were patched with gauze and slathered with healing salve. She was grateful that Dorothea had made the offer a few days after the battle, so Ingrid didn’t have to attempt to be charming while being a walking bruise.

“Don’t say that, Ingrid,” Mercedes chided. “Come on, sit down and I’ll do your makeup.”

Right. She still needed to get ready.

Ingrid sat down, back stiff as Mercedes approached with a brush in one hand and what she could assume was a makeup kit in the other hand.

“Now, I’m not going to do too much. Enough to be noticeable, not so much that it’s obvious.”

“That doesn’t make sense,” Ingrid muttered.

Mercedes eyed her flatly and Ingrid decided it was best to just keep her mouth shut and let it happen.

She brushed over her cheeks and eyes and mouth with such delicacy that Ingrid wasn’t quite sure if Mercedes was actually doing anything.

She wrung her hands together as Mercedes worked over her. At one point, Annette took over, doing something with Ingrid’s eye makeup that she couldn’t begin to understand. Why Annette was drawing on her eyebrows after Mercedes took so much time ripping hairs out of them, she didn’t know.

“Voila!”

Annette stepped away to let Ingrid take a look in the mirror.

Mercedes had been right. It was clear that there was makeup on her face, but it definitely wasn’t like some of the ladies who painted their faces to attend the king's court or anything like that.

A blush dusted her cheeks, which only got brighter as Ingrid remember who she was seeing in less than thirty minutes. A little rouge painted her lips. Mercedes even masterfully covered the tiny cut on her forehead from a flying piece of shrapnel from the battle.

“I think Dorothea thinks you’re pretty no matter what you’re wearing,” Annette said.

Ingrid rose from her chair and smoothed her hands over the silky dress. She definitely looked the part. Now, she just had to pretend like she had been on a date before.

“Thank you,” Ingrid murmured.

Saints help her, she would owe them gold later for the favor they did for her.

* * *

It would be an understatement to say that Ingrid was nervous.

The songstress, her liberator when Ingrid’s father tried to marry her off to a ruffian. She owed so much to Dorothea and the other woman would not accept anything in return. Ingrid could only give her life on the battlefield, as a knight for Faerghus and for Dorothea.

Goddess, she sounded like one of those books she and Ashe liked to read. She almost wished she had a lance to provide some courage.

Dorothea told her to come to the western solarium at dusk. Ingrid had been sure that there were some childhood memories hidden in that room, but she wasn’t going to think about _that_ right now. Goddess knew she was an entirely different person now.

What do people even talk about on dates? The weather? The current socio-political climate? Cats? Was she supposed to bow when she finally saw Dorothea? Curtsy? Kiss Dorothea’s hand?

She only knew of past ‘introductions’ to potential suitors, which were always stilted and hostile on her part. This was something she did of her own free will and... she had no idea what she was doing.

All her thoughts ground to a halt when she caught sight of Dorothea in the solarium.

It was already universally acknowledged that Dorothea was beautiful. Ingrid was aware of it back when they were students and Sylvain fruitlessly tried to flirt with her.

Seeing her now, brown hair loose down her back, purple gown shining off the candlelight, Ingrid wondered why she waited until after they had almost died dozens of times to take a chance with this.

“You look lovely,” Dorothea said with a blinding smile.

Ingrid was glad to see her smile. The war pained Dorothea, as someone with ties to the Empire. They all had to kill and maim her former classmates in the name of what they believed in. The very fresh battle of Gronder Field had been hard on all of them, Dorothea most of all.

Probably not a good time to think about dead former classmates.

“I—I can say the same about you,” Ingrid sputtered.

She was very still as Dorothea approached and lightly gripped her forearms.

“Did you do this all for me?” she asked.

Ingrid blushed. “Well, I did this for the occasion, but, yes. For you, as well. And, I had help.”

She really didn’t need to mention that she had help. It would be no surprise to Dorothea that Ingrid hadn’t changed since their academy days.

“You never needed makeup; you’re pretty enough on your own. That said, I do appreciate it.”

Dorothea grinned before taking Ingrid’s hands. Lance work and pegasus riding wasn’t kind to her but Dorothea didn’t flinch at the rough callouses.

“Unfortunately, I cannot make this as magnificent an occasion as I would like. War rations and all that,” Dorothea sighed. “Nothing like an opera.”

Ingrid nodded dumbly. “Of—of course. I’m just happy I didn’t scare you off.”

Dorothea laughed as she led her to a candlelit table. There were already two glasses of wine and a basket of bread waiting for them.

“Why would you scare me away? I invited you, after all.”

Ingrid sat down and immediately shoved a piece of bread into her mouth to delay in answering. Dorothea wasn’t going to let her off easy, as she watched her over her wine glass as Ingrid chewed.

“I was worried you’d change your mind,” Ingrid mumbled. “Seems appropriate, after how I acted when we were students.”

Ingrid winced at the mention at it. Goddess knew how often she replayed that moment when she so soundly rejected Dorothea’s advances. All she could hear was the advances of the lords and dukes who wanted to marry her and have her make Crest-bearing children.

Now, the war erased all the importance of marriage. She was free in her own way: free to live, free to die.

“You are already forgiven for that. I admit, I did come off a bit strong and I regret that. But that is the past and we are here now.”

“We are here now,” Ingrid echoed.

She raised her glass and lightly tapped Dorothea’s. She sank a little into her chair, finally allowing herself to relax a little.

“Now, that said,” Dorothea drawled, leaning forward in her seat. “It doesn’t mean I’m not going to pounce later, if you’re okay with that.”

Ingrid choked on her wine.

**Author's Note:**

> Intsys, you cowards.  
> All comments and such are appreciated, especially in stressful times like this.  
> [I am also attempting to make my general twitter my writer twitter. Give me a follow there as well!](https://twitter.com/BlooRalts)  
> Cheers!


End file.
